


Together? Together.

by DarkTARDIS



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous Plot, But rest assured I have a whole world of it in my head, F/M, Feel free to write it yourself though cause I would love to read it lol, First Kiss, If I actually had the time this would be a 100k word fic, Lots of Background History Left Unsaid, Morally Ambiguous Character, Morally Grey Harry Potter, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, One Shot, POV Hermione Granger, Pre-Relationship, Slytherin Hermione Granger, Wizarding Politics, but I don't
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 00:19:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15473310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkTARDIS/pseuds/DarkTARDIS
Summary: Harry can't do this alone. He knows he can't. He knows how much of a hole he's dug himself into... but he has to do this. He's got to. But will she understand?Hermione knows her friend. She knows his motives are pure. But are his methods just? Do the ends really justify the means?





	Together? Together.

"Tell me you understand." His gaze is deep, desperate. "Tell me you understand what I'm doing, that I _have_ to do this, _please_."

Hermione is hunched in on herself slightly, her right hand curled into fist against her mouth. Everything Harry has been explaining, all of the events from the past month, of the Act, of everything she'd learned since joining the magical world... and what it all meant for the future, should he pursue this further. 

Everything was on repeat, scenes and words playing over and over in her mind. She understands. She understands all too well.

Her eyes are shining with tears, her eyes focused on his across the room.

"Hermione, please..." There is a slight sheen to his own gaze. "I can't do this without you. Just... Say something, please."

Her hand finally leaves her mouth, but her focus doesn't waver. 

"I understand," she breathes, her throat tight with emotion. "I understand perfectly, Harry, and I -" she cuts off abruptly, spinning around to face out of the window.

Harry swallows, straightening from his forward lean against the desk. He takes a step closer, around the desk.

"You... You what?"

She takes in a shuddering breath, watching the gentle rain past her haunted reflection in the glass. She spins back around to face him again.

"I see... I _see_ what this means, don't you?!" And she does. Her mind can't help but follow the trail, follow the logical domino path of events should Harry continue this route. When his desperate and mildly confused expression doesn't change, she continues passionately, "Can't you see where this leads? Even if you succeed with this, not everyone will accept it! People like him, people who gather followers like he has - they're not just going to stop! His _followers_ aren't going to stop, not even if -" her voice cuts short, unable to finish her sentence.

Understanding dawns over his face, closely followed by sadness and resignation. He shuts his eyes slowly and takes a deep breath. He carefully lets it out and opens them again, stating evenly, "...Not even if I were to end him."

She searches his face, and sees her friend. Her best friend. The same friend who had saved her from the troll when her fellow snakes had driven her tears, nearly killing himself in the process, the same friend who dove recklessly into every pursuit to keep her and all those who care for him safe, no matter the cost. And she understands. 

"...You do see." It's clear that he does. Imaginings of revolt, of anarchy, of blood and warfare flash starkly though her mind.

"...Yes."

On the other hand, equal imaginings of pacifism and attempted peace-proclamations leading to total destruction of everything she holds dear flicker behind her eyes just as stark, just as horrific... And she understands.

She swallows thickly, thinking of her family, of the little first years she'd been asked to tutor this year. She thinks of the increased tensions between magicals and muggles. She thinks of young Sara asking if she was going to be able to come back to Hogwarts next year because of the Transparency and Separation Act.

She understands.

She takes a step forward. Then another. And another. She closes her arms around him, kissing the side of his head, into his hair. He clings to her, pressing his face down into her shoulder and burying one hand into her hair. 

"I'm here," she whispers softly into his hair. "I'm here. I understand."

She feels the tension and anxiety bleed out of him and she pulls back to gently grab his face. 

"I understand, Harry." She softly presses her closed lips to his. "We're in this together, okay?"

The sheen returns to his eyes as a small, broken smile flickers across his mouth.

"Together."

**Author's Note:**

> Not entirely sure about this format/style. I'm still rather unpracticed at writing, to be honest. Lemme know what you think and what I could do better! I readily welcome constructive criticism.
> 
> Also please tell me if you spot any inconsistencies with tenses or any mispellings. I started writing with past tense, then scrapped that halfway through and switched to present and had to edit. Also I typed this on my phone, so. It wouldn't surprise me at all if there's a bunch of errors.


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